Water-loving Polymers Help Stem Cells Regenerate Bone Tissue
When stem cells are used to regenerate bone tissue, many
wind up migrating away from the repair site, which disrupts the healing
process. But a technique employed by a University of Rochester research team
keeps the stem cells in place, resulting in faster and better tissue
regeneration. The key, as explained in a paper published in Acta Biomaterialia,
is encasing the stem cells in polymers that attract water and disappear when
their work is done.